Mixer



E. W. GRATIAS July 18, 1950 MIXER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 25, 1945 LARGE TUB SIX TINE FoRK q SMALL *rva FDUR TINE FURK Inventor 5 m T A R G w L R A E B, @zm

4015: WWW 1? me E. W. GRATIAS July 18, 1950 MIXER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001:. 25, 1945 s m T A R 6 L R A E By WWW m Patented July 18, 1950 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE E Earl W. Gratias, blora Springs, Iowa Application October 25, 1945, Serial No. 624,480

2 Claims. (01. 254-149) The present invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in mixing devices and more particularly to a device of this character adapted for mixing poultry feed composed of semi-solid buttermilk, oats and bran to provide a mash for feeding to chickens, turkeys and other poultry.

"An important object of the present invention is to provide a mixing tub having a motor driven agitator positioned therein together with means for raising and lowering the agitator into and out of position in the tub without necessitating a cutting off of the motor.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a novel hoist for the agitator by means of which the agitator may be supported in its raised position without employing the use of a brake or other form of locking device.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efficient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view with parts broken away and shown in section.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on a line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a similar view taken substantially on a line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged "plan view of the crank and pulley fixed thereto forming a hoist for the agitator.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on a line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a, transverse sectional view through the hoisting crank and pulley.

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the gear housing, and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary elevational view of the lower end of the mixer with parts shown in section and illustrating a modified agitator construction.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates a supporting frame generally which is formed of corner posts 6 of angle iron construction connected at their lower ends by an angle iron base 1 of open frame construcz tion and connected at their upper ends by a top frame construction 8, likewise preferably of angle iron construction.

A supporting ring 9 is secured at the center of thebase 1 by means of brace rods ID, the ring including'spaced inner and outer upwardly projecting flanges H in which tubs 12 of various diameters may be snugly fitted; the tub being provided with a handle i3 at one side to facilitate its placing in the ring and removal therefrom. Y i

A platform I4 is'supported intermediate the? upper and lower ends of the post 6 by means of frame members l5 and on which an electric motor l6 and gear housing I1 is supported.

A vertical shaft [8 extends upwardly through the platform [4 and gear housing l1 and is slidably keyed to a worm gear l9 positioned in the gear housing and driven by a worm 20 from the electric motor It by means of a shaft 2|.

To the lower end of the shaft I8 is secured an agitator designated generally at 22 and composed of a plurality of inverted U-shaped forks 23 and which may comprise a pair of such agitator forks as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings or three or more of such forks as indicated at 24 in Figure 8 of the drawings.

The agitator 22 is supported in a suspended po" sition adjacent the bottom of the tub I?! by means of a counter-ba1anced hoist which includes a crankshaft 25 journaled in bearings 26 secured to a pair of the posts 5 and having a crank handle 21 formed at one end and a crank 28 formed at its intermediate portion. To the outer edge of the crank 28 is welded or otherwise suitably secured the flanges 29 of a flanged pulley wheel 30, the pulley projecting laterally at the outer edge of the crank.

A hoisting cable 31 has one end extended downwardly between the crank 28 and pulley 30 and upwardly around the pulley for attaching to the crank as indicated at 32, the cable extending upwardly from a point between the crank and the pulley at the attached edge of the latter and over a pair of spaced apart pulleys 33 journaled on the upper frame 8. The upper end of the cable is attached to one edge of a plate 34 through which the shaft IB freely extends and is connected to the shaft for raising and lowering the shaft by means of a pair of collars 35 secured to the shaft above and below the plate by means of set screws 36.

In. the operation of the device the poultry feed is placed in the tub l2 and is mixed by the agitator '22 driven by the electric motor [6 through the shaft l8 and worm gearing in the housing IT.

The agitator 22 is raised outwardly from the tub by turning the handle 21 of the crank shaft 25 so that the crank 28 and pulley 30 attached thereto, will be swung from the position shown in full lines in Figure 6 to the dotted line position, thereby pulling the shaft 18 upwardly.

The weight of the pulley 30 and offset position of the crank 28 will counter-balance the weight of the agitator to support the agitator in its raised position without requiring the use of a brake, locking device or other means for retaining the agitator in its raised position.

In Vew of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In aparatus of the class described, a vertical shaft adapted to be raised and lowered, and hoisting means for raising and lowering the shaft including a. hoisting cable, a crank shaft including a crank, and a grooved annular member connected at one edge to the crank and projecting radially from the shaft, said cable having one end connected to said shaft and being wound about said annular member between said shaft and member.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a vertical shaft adapted to be raised and lowered, and hoisting means for raising and lowering the shaft including a hoisting cable, a crank shaft including a crank, and a grooved annular member mounted at one edge on the crank and projecting radially from the crank shaft, said cable having one end connected to said shaft and being wound about said annular member between said shaft and member, said crank and said annular member counterbalancing the vertical shaft upon movement of the crank and annular member into a predetermined position.

EARL W. GRATIAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Haubert May 9, 1939 

